Coal-leveling apparatus.



J. M. B. REIS.

GOAL LEVELING APPARATUS.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 24, 1900.

1,031,375. I Patented July 2, 1912.

' 8 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Wilnesses: jrlvenion CULUMUIA MLANGGHM M C()..WASHINGTON, n. t.

J. M. B. REIS.

GOAL LEVELING APPARATUS. APPLICATION IILED JUNE 24, 1909.

coLuMlllA I'LANUOHAPH 1:0..WA5HINOTON, LLC.

Patented July 2, 1912.

I 8 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

0 .w Huh! J. M. B. RBIS.

GOAL LBVELING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED Jun 24, 1909.

COLUMBIA PLANOORAPH C0.,WA5MINGTON. D. 0.

J. M. B. REIS.

COAL LEVELING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 24, 1909.

1,031,375. Pa ented July 2, 1912.

. 8 BHEETE-SHEBT 4.

COLUMBIA PLANOORAPH 110., WASHINGTON, n. c.

J. M. B. RBIS.

GOAL LEVBLING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION nun man 24, mos.

Patented July 2, 1912.

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J. B. RBIS.

coAL LEVELING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 24 Patented July 2, 1912.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

COLUMBIA PLANOGnAPH 60.,WA5HINH1'0N. n. c.

J. M. B. RBIS.

GOAL LBVELING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 24, 1009.

1,031,375. Patented Julj2,1912.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 7.

JARED M. B. REIS, OF NEW CASTLE, PENNSYLVANIA.

COAL-LEVELING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 2, 1912.

Application filed ,Tune 24, 1909. Serial No. 504,033.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JARED M. B. REIS, acitizen of the United States, residing at New Castle, in the county ofLawrence and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Coal-Leveling Apparatus, of which the following is aspecification, reference being had therein-to the accompanying drawin Myinvention consists oi an improvement in machines for leveling andspreading coal in beehive coke ovens.

The object of the invention is to provide means for leveling the coal ina circular chamber, particularly the coal charged into that type ofovens from a larry or mine car through the trunnel head or vent of theoven, and is an improvement in that class of leveling machines whichoperates through the trunnel head.

It is a well known fact that when coal is dumped from an elevated spoutonto a flat surface, as the floor of an oven, it will pile up in theform of a cone, the sides of which will slope downwardly at an angle ofabout 45. In the manufacture of coke from coal in an oven it is firstnecessary to level the coal dumped into the oven to a flat surface andthis work has heretofore been done mainly by hand by means of a scraperbar introduced through the side or front door of the oven, which is avery slow and laborious operation.

I am aware that other inventors have designed leveling machines foroperation through the trunnel opening of an oven, intended to performthe same work as I have in view and to overcome the difl'iculties andexpense of hand leveling. I am aware that such a proposition is notbroadly new and that such devices are shown in the followingLettersPatent: Murray, No. 826184 of July 17th, 1906. I-Iower, Nos. 841868 and.841869 of January 22nd, 1907, and Ham No. 876175 of January 7th, 1908.My in vention is different from these however, in

the several features covered bythe claims.

In view of the existing conditions in beehive ovens and to overcome thedisadvantage of hand leveling, and to provide improved mechanism forquickly and uniformly performing the operation through the trunnelopening, my improved machine consists of a folding telescoplng toolarranged for insertion downwardly through the trunnel head of the oven,adapted to be extended to operative position, and to be rotatedannularly throughout the area of the oven for spreading and leveling thecoal therein.

The machine consists generally of a vertically adjustable telescopingstandard, preferably mounted on a latcrall swinging frame and providedwith an ad]ustable terminal swee meansfor raising and lowering it, meansfor rotating the standard, means for adjusting it to different levelswithin the oven and for centralizing the standard bars are maintained atthe lower position;

at all times, thereby avoiding the diflicubties of adjustment andmanipulation where their outer ends are swung up. The improvementincludes the various features of construction for operating this type ofspreader.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a view showing a larry provided with twomachines in operative relation totwo opposite ovens, the

machine at the left side being retracted for shifting and the one at theright side being In position for operation. Fig. 1 is a detail view inelevation of the vertically adjustable centering device. Fig. 2 is anenlarged vertical sectional view in working position similar to theright side of Fig, 1,

showing the parts more in detail. Fig. 3 is a similar view showing theparts retracted. Fig. 4 a plan view of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a furtherenlarged horizontal sectional view indicated by the line V. V. of Fig.2. Figs. 6 and 7 are sectional detail views of parts of the swingingframe and the gear controlling mechanisnn Figs. 8, 9 and 10 are crosssectional views on the lines VIII. VIII; IX. IX; and X. X. respectively,Fig. 2. Fig. 11 is a plan view of part of a larry showing the means forpositioning and locating the swinging frame. Fig. 12 is a detail view ofthe working terminal of the mechanism and illustrating the retraction ofthe sweep. Fig. 13 is a side view of. a larry provided with the levelingmachine. Fig. 14 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing a supporting truckand a somewhat modified construction of leveling machine at each sidethereof. Fig. 15 is a sectional view, partly broken away, illustratingthe working mechanism of sald machine, similar to Flg. 2. Flgs. 16, 17,and 18 are cross secv.tions on the lines XVI. XVI; XVII. XVII;

and XVIII. XVIII, respectively of Fig. 15. Figs. 19 and 20 are detailviews in elevation of the automatic gear shifting device. Fig. 21 is avertical section on the line XXI. XXI. of Fig. 20. Fig. 22 is ahorizontal section on the line XXII. XXII. of Fig. 20. Fig. is asectional detail view of the lower end of the plunger showing thespreader bar collapsed. Fig. 2 1 is an enlarged plan 'view of theshifting cam bar for actuating the ratchet pawl. Fig. 25 is an enlargeddetail view in plan of the gears 32 and the ovens may be carried onconsecutively and with economy of time.

are charged by the larry and then leveled, thereby obviating thenecessity of separate. leveling machines, each larry thus consti-I Thus,the ovens tuting a single complete unit.

It is desirable that the machines shall be; mounted on the larry A orother carriage. for lateral swinging, for which purpose the mainsupporting frame 2 of the machine is pivotally mounted at top and bottomby suitable pivotal bearings, upon a lower supbracket 3 and to an uppercenterporting ing bracket 4:. This arrangement provides for adjustmentof the machine on its carriage with relation to the trunnel hole andalso allows for the folding in of the machine, toward the carriage forclearance of the bin structure or other obstruction, as shown in Fig.11. Extending outwardly from the swinging frame 2 at the bottom andabout midway of its height are vertical bearings 5 and 6 through whichthe telescoping working standard operates and by which said standard,constituting the main operating element of the machine, is carried. Saidstandard is composed of an outer supporting hollow rotatable cylinder 7with which, by a spline or key 8 is telescopically connected the hollowplunger 9 having a longitudinal slotted key-way 10 for engagement ofsaid key 8 and a similar key 11. Keys 8 and 11 are of the constructionshown in the cross sectional views Figs. 8 and 9 and operate toslidingly connect the cylinder 7 a with plunger 9 and said plunger withits driving bevel gear 12 respectively, in the hub of which keyll ismounted. As thus connected, cylinder] and plunger}? will rotate togetherwhile plunger 9 may rise or fall within cylinder 7, and both may rotatewithin a common vertically adjustable bearing 13 mountedwithin thebearing 6. Said hearing 13 is vertically movable within the main framebearing by means of a worm wheel 14 engaging rack teeth 15 and operatedby bevels 16 and hand wheel 17 carried in an outwardly extending bracketforming a portion of the bearing 6, as clearly shown. The object of thisconstruction is to adjust the entire composite standard for variationsin the normal level or surface of the coal charge, caused by varying thecharge, due to the contingencies of operating the ovens for longer orshorter periods, as is readily understood in the manufacture of coke. Asshown, the cylinder 7. rests upon the shouldered bottom of theadjustable bearing 13, while the hollow plunger 9 is also provided with4 a shoulder limiting its downward travel therethrough, butpermittingfree up ward movement within the cylinder 7. Extendingdownwardly through the lower end of plunger 9 is a terminal plunger 18similar in construction to plunger 9 and in sliding rotatable operativeengagement therewith by means ofa key 19 engaging the laterallongitudinal slotted key way 20 in plunger 18, whereby it is maintainedin rotative en gagement at any position. The upper end of terminalplunger 18 is shouldered as in dicated at 21, limiting its downward movement therein to the collapsed or assembled operative position shown inFig. 3.

The element which directly engages the surface of the coal for levelingit is the spreader bar 22, pivotally connected at 23 with the bracingarm or strut. 2 1 which in turn is pivotally mounted at 25in theterminal head 26 at the lower end of terminal plunger 18. Pivotallyconnected to the inner end of the spreader bar 22 at 27, is a verticallymovable bar 28 slidingly operable within the interior of the lowerplunger and of suflicient weight to fall by gravity to erect thespreader bar, and operable to lift the inner end of the spreader bar tocollapse it when bar 28 is raised. Said bar 28 and the inner end of thespreader bar are raised by a chain 29 extending upwardly through thehollow interiors of the plungers 18 and 9 and cylinder? and connectedwith a winding shaft or sheave 30 mounted in brackets 31 extendingupwardly at each side I of the upper terminal or cylinder 7.

At one end of the shaft carrying the winding sheave is a bevel gear 32meshing into a similar gear 33 having extending downwardly or integralwith it an elongated pinion 3a whereby the bevel gears are rotated toactuate the sheave to wind or release the chain 29 for raising orlowering of the spreader bar, and also for collapsing or extending thetelescoping plunger sections within the cylinder 7 as will be readilyunderstood from Figs. 2 and 3. Pinion 34 is actuated by spur gear-35 atthe upper end of shaft 36, mounted in suitable bearings in the frame 2as shown, and provided at its lower end with a driven bevel 37 in meshwith a driving bevel 38. Pivotally mounted in the lower part of terminalhead 26 is a laterallyswinging latch 39 having a downwardly projectingterminal 40 for engagement with the coal. When the plunger 18 is lowereddownwardly through the trunnel head of the oven, the spreader bar 22 isin the position indicated in Fig. 3, the end 40 projecting slightlybeyond the said terminal head 26, as shown in dotted lines Fig. 5. Whenthe entire standard is rotated by the means hereinafter described forthe purpose of spreading, in the direction indicated by i the arrow Fig.5, the point 40 of trigger arm 39, becoming engaged by the coal, head 26will rotate, thrusting arm 39 outwardly as indicated in said figure,thrusting outwardly the lower end of the spreader bar 22, permitting theweight of bar 28 to complete the erecting operation in addition to thecontact with the coal. The commencement of the operation of shifting thevertically pendent terminal of spreader bar 22 by the trigger arm 39upon rotation ofhead 26 so as to thrust it outwardly from the head isshown in Fig. 23. As the head'26 and plunger 18 continue to rotate theterminal. of the spreader bar will drag through the coal and be workedout to operative position, assisted by the weight of bar 28. By thismeans any tendency to lock and avoid opening up at the commencement ofthe operation is thus positively prevented and the lateral workingposition of the spreader bar accomplished.

For the purpose of rotating plunger-s 9 and 18, plunger 9 is providedwith the driven bevel wheel 12 referred to, in spline engagement withthe plunger 9 by the key 11, and in mesh with the driving bevel wheel 41on the end of shaft 42 which, like shaft 43 carrying bevel 38, ismounted in suitable bearings transversely of the frame 2 as clearlyshown. (See Figs. 6 and T.) Shafts 42 and43 are provided with gears 44and 45 respectively, adapted to be engaged by the shifting gear 46. Gear46 drives gear 44 to rotate the standard, for spreading; or it drivesgear 45 for taking up or lowering chain 29 for collapsing orextending'the elements of the standard. Driving pinion 46 is slidinglymounted in spline engagement upon shaft 47 driven through a train ofgears as indicated, from a motor 48 mounted on frame 2., y

49 is an operating lever pivoted at 50 in a suitable bracket andprovided with a terminal cl'evis orfork 51 engaging flanged collarsconnected to or integral with driving gear 46, whereby said gear may beshifted into engagement with gear 44 or gear 45 or to an interveninginoperative position, and there held by suitable mechanism.

It will be understood that during the rotation of the spreader bar bythe gears 12 and 41 the raising and lowering mechanism will remaininoperative, and that when the raising or lowering operation is beingperformed, the rotative mechanism will likewise remain inoperative. Forsuch purpose, I have provided the interlocking mechanism indicated inFigs. 6 and 7, in which shaft 43 is provided with a ratchet wheel 52adapted to be engaged by pawl 53 pivoted at 54, shaft 42 being alsoprovided with a ratchet wheel 55 adapted to be engaged by a pawl 56pivoted at 57 on the main frame 2. The pawls 53 and 56 are-connected bya link 58, the lower end of which engages end of pawl 56 with clearancefor preliminary lost motion, and for the purpose of operating both pawlstogether, I have provided a sliding cam bar 59 extending through frame2, provided with a beveled shoulder 60 for lifting the inner end of pawl53 to release its terminal from wheel 52, when bar 59 is drawnvoutwardly by pinion 46, with which it engages by means of a fork 59embracing behind a collar 61 on pinion 46 by the hub thereof. Bythis-means, as pinion 46 is thrust into engagement with rotating gear44, the pawls 53 and 56 will be dis-engaged from their ratchet wheels,and on the other hand, when pinion 46 is thrust into engagement withgear 45, both ratchets will become reengaged by their pawls, but'pawl 53will slip past the teeth of ratchet 52 during its operation.

For the purpose of fixedly locating the swinging frame 2 at the desiredposition over the trunnel opening of each particular.

oven, the frame 2 provided with a locking handle 62 pivoted at 63 onframe 2 and engaging by its inner terminal a segmental locking form 64of well known construction. By this means the frame 2 may be swung tothe desired position, as indicated in Fig. 11 and there locked, theentire working mechanism and all, of its parts swinging around with theframe, while by the same means the frame 2 may be thrown backwardlyalongside of the larry track, as indicated in dotted lines in saidfigure and in Fig. 13, for clearance of any obstruction and for fixingit in inoperative position.

For the purpose of providing means for insuring the centralization ofthe mechanism over or through the center of the trunnel hole of theoven, I have provided a vertical adjustable center guide or ring 65,embracing plunger 9 as shown, in either raised or &

lowered position, which ring is vertically adjustable within the frame 2by means of a square or sphned guide rod 66 extending ment or failure tocentralize with the trunnel opening 1s thus prevented, avoiding breakageof the mechanism and insuring manipulation of the device in the mannerintended.

The operation of the invention will be readily understood from theforegoing description. hen the plunger-s are collapsed as indicated atthe left side of Fig. 1 and in Fig. 3, they may be lowered by gravity inthe manner described and upon being rotated will effect their desiredfunction.

Thereupon, upon raising the chain 29, the

inner end of the spreader bar will be first raised as indicated in Fig.12 and the bar will be drawn into vertical alinement and seated withinthe cavity of the lower plunger 18, as indicated in Fig. 3. 'lhereupon,further upward lifting will exert lifting action of plunger 18, due toconnections 23 and 25 until the lower plunger 18 has been raised withinplunger 9, whereupon head 26 engaging the low er end of plunger 9 willlift said plunger, both plungers thus rising within cylinder 7. By suchtelescoping operation, all of said parts are snugly assembled together,at which position the lower end of plunger 18 and terminal of spreaderbar 22 will have been raised entirely above the trunnel opening, as isalso guiding ring 64 by its chain, whereupon the machine may be shiftedto the next oven. I have also provided automatic means for disengagingpinion 46 from lifting pinion 45 at the end of the upward travel ofplunger 18. This consists of a bell crank lever having a forked terminal7O embracing the plunger 9. and in range for engagement by the head 26as it rises. Lever 7 0 is pivoted at 71 to the main frame and has anupwardly extending arm 70 provided with laterally extending lugs 7 0. 72 is a flexible lever extension pivoted to arm 70 at 73, extendingbeyond the lugs 7 O and having a forked terminal 7 2 Said terminalembraces shaft 47 and engages collar 61 of gear 46 and is cushioned by aspring 74 hearing against inner lug '70 and a similar lug 70 on arm 72.Normally, when the plunger is lowered, arm 70 falls by gravity andretracts the upper end of the lever, as in Fig. 19. When the plungerrises head 26 comes into contact with forked terminal 7 0 thrust: inggear 46 outwardly from mesh with gear 45 effecting automaticdisengagement, as in Fig. 20. The cushion spring 72 prevents too suddenimpact of the lever terminal and cases its action. The advantage of thespring-pressed terminal 72 is that it will normally hold sliding pinion46 away from contact with pinion 45, preventing interference of theteeth when not in mesh.

The machine as a whole is well adapted to successfully perform itsoperations, and it will be observed that the folding of the spreader barin the manner provided, avoids the throwing of its outer terminalupwardly and the resulting liability to engage the roof of the oven byits point, the collapsing operation avoiding any such possibility andresulting in the positive folding inwardly of the spreading mechanism.

It will be'understood that the working mechanism may, with equalfacility, be 'located at the front or rear end of the larry or truck,for operation on a single row of ovens having their trunnel openingslocated between the tracks, and that the effectiveness of the inventionis in no way dependent on the particular manner of mounting the deviceupon its carriage.

In Figs. 14 and 18 inclusive, I have illustrated a modified constructionof the apparatus difiering from that above described principally in theconstruction of the vertically adjustable operating mechanism and itsterminal spreader bar. In said construction, which I shall not describein detail as to such parts which correspond or form the equivalent ofthe main operating parts of the machine, it is shown as mounted upon atruck or carriage B mounted, like the machine described, by wheels upontracks located mid-way between two rows of adjacent ovens. In thisconstruction, the frame 2 may be readily adjustable as described, orfixedly mounted upon the carriage so as to drive the mechanism at eachside through a common shaft 6 driven by any suitable motor, from whichat each end power may be taken for each leveler. In this construction Iemploy but a single vertical plunger 18 within which is mounted a rackbar 28 having teeth on its face as indicated, engaged by a pinion 30actuated through bevel gears 32, 33, from shaft 43, actuated throughpinion 45 and operating mechanism, similar to that described.

22 is the spreader bar, pivoted at 23 to the link 24 which in turn ispivoted at its inner end to the lower head 26 at the end of the plunger18. The inner end of the spreader bar is pivoted at 27 to the lower endof bar 28, and its face, like said bar, is toothed. In operation, bar 28is lowered by its pinion 30 to erect the s reader to the position shownat the left of ig. 14 and in Fig. 15, and is raised by reversing thepinion which will lift bar 28' until the spreader bar is folded intoalinement with the plunger. Thereafter the plunger itself with its partswill be further raised by rotation of the pinion, until the mechanism iselevated, as at the right of Fig. 1.4. The upper end of bar 28' extendsabove the pinion a sutlicient dis tance as shown, to provide for furtherindependent lowering or adjustment to the desired level, and it willthus be seen that by this mechanism the device may be raised or loweredwith equal facility as by the means already described. For rotation ofthe plunger and spreader bar 22, I employ bevel gearing 41 and 12whereby through shaft 42 power is transmitted through gears 44' andsliding gear 46' from shaft 6, the sliding gear being in such caseadjusted by a lever 49' on a vertical shaft 0 carrying shifting levers(Z, (Z.

What I claim is 1. A coal leveler provided with a telescoping plungerhaving an inner vertically movable bar and an adjustable spreader barpivoted at its inner end thereto, and a bracing strut below the spreaderbar pivoted to the lower end of the plunger and to the spreader bar,substantially as set forth.

2. A coal leveler provided with a telescoping plunger having an innervertically movable bar and an adjust-able spreader bar pivoted at itsinner end thereto, a bracing strut below the spreader bar pivoted to thelower end of the plunger and to the spreader bar, and means for raisingand lowering the inner end of the spreader bar, substantially as setforth.

3. A coal leveling apparatus provided with a vertically adjustableworking tool and a vertically adjustable ring therefor arranged forlocation with relation to the trunnel opening of an oven, and having acounterweighted traveling adjustable supporting arm, substantially asset forth.

4:. A coal leveling apparatus provided with a laterally adjustablecarrying frame and a vertically adjustable plunger provided with aterminal adjustable spreader bar, a vertically adjustable guiding ringfor the plunger arranged for location within the trunnel opening of anoven, and a counterweighted vertically adjustable arm for said ringslidingly mounted in said carrying frame, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination of a traveling carriage, of a laterally adjustableframe thereon, vertically adjustable plunger mechanism mounted in theframe provided with an inner vertically movable bar, an adjustablespreader bar pivoted at its inner end thereto, a bracing strut below thespreader bar pivoted to the lower end of the plunger and to the spreaderbar, a vertically adjustable ring for centering and guiding the plunger,and a vertically movable guide rod therefor, substantially as set forth.

(3. In a coal leveling apparatus, the combination with a supportingframe, of a cylinder mounted therein, vertically adjustable plungermechanism in telescoping engagement with the cylinder, a terminalspreader bar, means extending through the plunger mechanism foradjusting the spreader bar connected to the inner end thereof, and meansfor rotating the plunger mechanism.

7. In a coal leveling apparatus, the combination with a supportingframe, of a cylinder mounted therein, vertically adjustable plungermechanism in telescoping engagement with the cylinder, a terminalspreader bar, means extending through the plungermechanism for adjustingthe spreader bar connected to the inner end thereof, means for rotatingthe plunger mechanism, and means for vertically adjusting the cylinder.

8. In a coal' leveling apparatus of the class described, a verticallyadjustable plunger provided with a terminal pivoted latch adapted toengage the spreader bar to distend it, a spreader bar, raising means connected with the inner end of the spreader bar, and a link pivoted to themiddle portion of the bar and to the terminal of the plunger.

9. In a coal leveling apparatus of the class described, the combinationwith a vertically adjustable plunger provided with a spreader bar andmeans for raising it, a connecting link pivoted to the spreader bar andto the end of the plunger, and a pivot-ally mounted latch adapted toengage the coal and to thrust the terminal end of the spreader baroutwardly from the end of the plunger when rotated, for the purposedescribed.

10. In a coal leveling apparatus, the combination of a pivotally mountedcarrying frame provided with an upper cylinder, a vertically adjustableplunger in spline engagement therewith and provided with a similarlymounted terminal plunger having an adjustable spreader bar, flexiblemeans for adjusting said spreader bar extending through the plungcrs andcylinder, a sheave for said means and actuating mechanism therefor,means for rotating the plungers, and means for independently adjustingthe cylinder, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JARED M. B. REIS.

Witnesses:

G. M. CLARKE, CHAS. S. LEPLEY.

Gopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

